The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-12-15

they are in u minority among those
who labor, and therefore could forego
an advantage in the interest OF low
prices for the majority their compen.
sation, as may be affected by the uper.
alton Of tariff laws, should at all times
be scrupulously kept in view and yet
with slight reflection they will not
overlook the fact that they are CON
sumers with the rest; that they, too,
have their own wants and those of
their families to supply from their
earnings, and that the price OF the
necessaries of life, as well as the
amount of their wages, will reg
ulate the measure
OF THEIR WELFARE AND COMFORT.
But the reduction of taxation de-
manded should be SO measured as not
to necesSitate or justify either the loss
Of employment by the workingman
nor the leSsening of his wages and
the profits still remaining TO the man
utacturer. after necessary readjust-
ment, should furnish no excuse for the
sacrifice Of the interests " his EN-.
ployes, either in their opportunity W
work or in the diminution of their
compensation. Nor can the worker
in manufactures fail to understand
that while Al high tariff is claimed to
be necessary to allow the payment of
remuneratlve wages, it certainly re-
suits i'll very large increase in the
price
OF NEARLY ALL SORTS
OF manufactures, which, in almost
countless forms, he needs for the use
ot himself and his family. He re-
ceives at the desk of his employer his
wages, and yerhaps before he reaches
his home is obliged in a purchase for
family use of an article which em-
braces his own labor, to return in the
payment of the increase in price which
the tariff permits the hard-earned com.
pensation OF many days Of toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist
who manufacture nothing, but who
pay the increased price which the tar
If imposes upon every agricultural
implement, upon all he wears and up
on all he uses and owns, except the
increase OF his flocks and herds and
such things as his husbandry produces
from the soil,
Is INVITED TO AID
in maintaing the present situation
and he is told that nigh duty on i'm
ported wool is necessary for the bene
fit Of those who have sheep to sheer
in order that the price OF their Woo
may be increased. They of course arr
not reminded that the farmer who
has no sheep is by this scheme obliged
in his purchases of clothing and wool
len goods, to pay tribute to his fellow
farmer, as we'll rs to the manufacturer
and merchant; nor is any mention
made Of the fact that the sheep owners
themselves and their households must
wear clothing and use other articles
manufactured from the wool they sci
at tariff prices, and thus as CONSUMERS
must return their share Of this increas
ed price to the tradesmen.
think it may be fairly assumed
that large portion Of the sheep owneC
by the farmers throughout the coun
try
ARE FOUND IN SMALL FLOCKs,
numbering from twenty-five to fifty
The duty on the grade of imported
wool which these sheep yield is tel
cents each pound, if OF the value 0
thirty cents or less, and twelve cents
of the value Of more than thirty cents
If the liberal estimate OF six pounds b.
allowed for each fleece, the duty there
on would be sixty or seventy-two cents
and this may be taken as the utmos
enhancement OF its price to the form
er by reason OF this duty. Eighteel
dollars would thus represent the in
creased price of the woSl from twenty
i've sheep and thlrty-six dollars tina
from the wool OF fifty sheep, and a
present values this addition woul,
amount to about one. third of its price
If upon its sale the farmer receive
this, or a less tariff profit, the WOO
leaves his hands charged
WITH PRECISELY THAT SUM,
which in all its changes will adhere t
1t until it reaches the consumer.
When manufactured into cloth an
other goods and material for use it
cost is not only increased to the exten
Of the farmers tariff profit, but fun
ther sum has been added for the bene
tit Of the manufacturer under the OF
eratinns of other tariff laws. In tn
meantime the day arrives when til
farmer finds it necessary to purchas
wo0len goods and material to cloth
him-elf and family for the winter
When he faces the tradesmap for tina
purpose he discovers that he is oblige
not only to return in the way of il
creased prices his tariff profit on tn
wool he sold, and which then perhap
lies before him in manufactured form
but that he must add considerabl
sum thereto to meet further increas
III Cost cau5eu ny JarlH uuty
ON THE MANUFACTURES.
Thus in the end he is aroused to the fax
that he has paid upon moderate pu
chase, as a result of the tariff schem
when he sold his wool, seemed s
profitable an increase in price, mon
than sufficient to sweep away all th
tariff profit he received upon the wct
he produced and sold. When I'll
number OF farmers engaged in WOO
raising is compared with all the farm
ers in the country-the small propo
ton they bear to our population is COZ
: sidered when it is made apparer
) that, in the c.se of a large part
= those who own sheep, the benefit
the present tariff on wool is illusory
: and, above all, when it must be eol
: ceded that the increase of the cost
li,.fpr a,t,saJ Nv Ot,oh tariff bnanp,as